I mean really ... how could I not miss them?Last fall, I was offered a fantastic opportunity for a job. I was all set to take it, until I found out that they didn’t want me to work remotely for the two-month stint -- they wanted me on site in Boston.

I tossed the idea out the window, because Boston is 3,000ish miles away from my San Diego home, and that’s one heck of a commute. Then the planets aligned, my husband told me he could hold down the fort, and my mom said she’d take care of the kids after school. Three days later, I was kissing my babies goodbye and flying across the country.

I knew I’d miss my kids like crazy, but there were some things that I did not expect to miss about them. I mean, no one likes wiping noses, right? Then I’d find myself turning a corner or waking up in the middle of the night, and I’d be hit with a whole lot of I miss them so much right now!

These are the things that I did not expect to miss about my daughters but did anyway.

Middle of the Night Snuggles -- I don’t know exactly when it started or how it happened, but for the past year or two, our four-year-old daughter will more often than not wake up in the wee hours and tear down the hallway and leap into bed with us until morning. We’ve never been a co-sleeping family, and honestly, I kind of like my space when I sleep, so I was surprised to wake up lonely in Boston without her snuggly little body next to mine.

Cartoons -- I have no idea what’s going on with Phineas and Ferb, and that’s tragic. I guess I just don’t think to turn on something animated without the wee ones begging me to.

The Park -- Confession: Normally I hate the park. It’s germy, they want you to play with them, and if you don’t play with them you’re forced to make small talk with the other parents who you’re inevitably going to end up not liking anyway, and the whole thing only ends when someone falls and hurts themselves. Total nightmare. But I found myself walking past the neighborhood parks a little slower in Boston … Not a lot of things beat the joy of a kid on a swing.

Homework -- Haha. Just kidding. I didn’t miss that at all.

You know what I did miss though? The wonder and excitement evident in my children when they learn something new or understand the world around them a little bit better. And the satisfaction of victory that trumps the frustration of teaching that comes along when something finally clicks into place for them.

I knew I’d miss the hugs and kisses, and the love that my children show me every day -- what I didn’t expect was to miss just being a mom.

Overall, it was a great opportunity and I’m glad I did it. I’m incredibly grateful to my amazing family and friends that made it possible for me to go. I love you guys so much -- and now I love my girls more than ever.

What ordinary things do you think you’d miss most if you were temporarily separated from your kids?